Back from the Beach!

Hey gang!

Sorry for my absence - I was very busy last week sipping Malibu and pineapples and playing on the beach with the girls in Destin! :) It was lots of fun and I'm sad our yearly trek is already over.

I wasn't totally bad though - I did two runs last week - one along the trail by the beach and one on the treadmill in our condo complex...kind of out of curiosity. Different experiences. It was fun to run along the bike trail by the beach because I love to people watch, but admittedly, I didn't really take in the beauty of the scenery or anything. I tend to look down when I run haha, so the atmosphere was kind of lost on me. I did about 3.2 miles (despite my mapmyrun accidentally recording a burning fast 4.2 mile/7 minute mile run hahah).

I tried the treadmill the second time because people seem to like it - I see posts on FB about being able to run forever, it's easier, etc. So I hopped on, expecting to run miles and miles at a lightning pace.

I didn't. In fact, I think the treadmill sucks!

First off, my ipod died about ten minutes in. Second, because I assumed I'd be listening to music, I hadn't changed the tv channel - which was stuck on yet another "you are NOT the father" episode of Maury. I mean, I love trash tv, but I do not love trash talk shows. Gag. So I was stuck watching a crappy tv show on a treadmill that squeaked every time my right foot came down. I was kind of in hell. While I made it three miles, my pace was average (9.30-10 min), my mind was wandering (and not in a good way) and I was left wondering yet again how these women can have, ahem, "relations" with so many men in a week or two period that they are truly confused about who their babydaddy is. So that's pretty much that for treadmill running.

Anyhoo, back to the real world.

My goal these next few weeks is improving my time and my endurance. To that end, my Tuesday run was shorter than usual, but I tried out upping my first mile pace then slowing back down for the second 1.5 to see if I totally burned out or if I could fiddle a little with pacing for the next 5k. My first mile pace was around 8 minutes, which I was pretty stoked about, and while I didn't stop running the last 1.5 miles, I wasn't just overall thrilled with the result. So for the next three weeks, I'm going to try this plan:
http://www.active.com/running/Articles/How-to-Double-Your-Endurance-in-6-Weeks.htm?cmp=17-7-920

I'm curious to see how it works out AND I get the added benefit of using the term "fartlek" at least once a week. I'll give you a minute to enjoy a giggle.

I was supposed to do my first fartlek this morning, but unfortunately Miss Sadie had other plans. We had a newborn style party last night (up every 2 hours), so Mama was tie-ERD this morning. Ah well - plenty of time to fartlek all over town tomorrow, then plan my big run for Saturday - maybe down by the river?

Also-speaking of my next 5k - it looks like I'm shooting for "Run with the Son" sponsored by the Geyer Springs Baptist Church on August 20th. While there is one on August 13, it's frankly on a route I'm not crazy about for racing, since it goes across the Big Dam Bridge. After my hot, hot run across it a couple of weeks ago, I can tell you that being stuck on a bridge the width of about six people across with a bunch of other runners doesn't sound particularly fun. So I'm running with the Son (and my husband tells me it's only polite to let Jesus win;)!

Glad to be back!
Ashley